You are here:

A stabilised situation

For the next forty years, the establishment and maintenance of provisional
schools did not vary. Local promoters had to provide, without expense to the
Department, a room or building suitable for school purposes.
While some provisional schools were still established in sub-standard accommodation,
the Department would approve of these only on a temporary basis. The average
attendance expected was left open. In actual practice, the Department continued
to provide a teacher (where suitable accommodation was locally provided) to
schools with an average attendance of nine pupils or more, although on occasion,
this figure was allowed to drop to as low as 3.6.

Photograph: Mt Jukes Provisional School
opened in 1922. Made from palm and grass, it was replaced by a timber state
school.

While some provisional schools in sparsely populated areas were of a relatively
permanent nature, others in more populated areas continued to be established
in temporary buildings, pending the erection of a State school building on
a site vested in the Minister. Over the period 1909 to 1947, the number of
provisional schools did not vary greatly. In 1947, there were 65 provisional
schools, 54 of which were operating.